Exploring access to medicinal cannabis through general practitioners in Australia

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Medicinal cannabis (MC) was legalized in Australia in 2016, yet patient access remains challenging.
• Numerous factors influence the accessibility of MC for therapeutic purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review examining barriers and enablers to accessing MC through general practitioners (GPs) in Australia.
• To identify key factors affecting patient access to medicinal cannabis.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of scientific and grey literature from 2016 to 2023 was performed.
• Eleven papers and 40 webpages met the inclusion criteria for the review.

Main Results:

• GPs reported insufficient knowledge about MC, impacting their willingness to discuss it with patients.
• Rural living and lower income were identified as patient barriers to accessing MC.
• Telehealth cannabis clinics reduced geographical barriers but did not alleviate financial constraints.

Conclusions:

• Despite decreasing stigma and demographic barriers, inequitable access to MC persists due to patient economic burdens.
• GPs face challenges with MC prescribing processes and accessing current evidence due to time limitations.